Aurora Beacon-News
January 22. 2002
By Mike Cetera
STAFF WRITER
AURORA &emdash; State Sen. Chris Lauzen has jumped into a lengthening line of politicians opposing the outer-belt highway, a sensitive issue for many within the incumbent's redrawn and now mostly rural district.
Lauzen said his opposition isn't tied to his campaign in the new district, but he nonetheless challenged Republican primary foe Ken Toftoy to take a position. The highway is proposed for western Kane and Kendall counties, which make up much of the new 25th Senate District.
"I think that we would get more for our transportation dollars if we were to invest in our existing roads rather than trying to build a whole new corridor," Lauzen said, noting he would oppose efforts to build reliever roads similar to Randall and Orchard roads.
The Illinois Department of Transportation should present an alternative corridor for the highway, which would connect Interstate 80 with Interstate 88, said Lauzen, R-Aurora. He agreed with the Kane County Board, which last week suggested a better route could be drawn to the east.
Lauzen said he might support a limited-access route, using the existing footprint of Route 47. This could produce a shorter route that might save millions in taxpayer dollars, he said.
"This is just something where we are all trying to preserve the nature of the area where we live," he said. "But at the same time we need to solve congestion problems."
Toftoy, the Kendall County coroner, said Monday night he has not made a decision about the highway, whose chief proponent is House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican from Yorkville.
"I haven't heard enough about it to take a stand," Toftoy said. "We have to move traffic somehow. But maybe there's an alternative."
Other politicians and would-be officeholders have taken opposing stands since the Illinois Department of Transportation unveiled the proposed outer-belt corridor late last year.
Scott Sutterlin of Geneva, who also is running in the Republican primary in the 25th State Senate District, said the plan would increase sprawl.
In the 50th District House race, Rep. Patricia Reid Lindner, R-Sugar Grove, and primary opponent Wade Joyner of Plano also oppose the highway.
Kendall County Board member Ed Sleezer of Yorkville supports the plan.